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Ten years ago, Arienne Weisenberger had a set of fraternal twins three months early. They were admitted to the NICU and were kept in the hospital for eight weeks.
With the addition of twins Madilyn and Jackson, Weisenberger’s family grew from four to six children. When she re-married five years ago, she also became stepmother to four children. Her brood grew to a grand total 10. Managing a family of 12 can be challenging, yet Weisenberger still found time to purchase and run The Breakers restaurant in Crystal Lake and give back to families with terminally ill children.
“My wanting to get involved started with my twins,” said Weisenberger, 37, of Crystal Lake. “They were in the hospital for eight weeks and I was very lucky to have so many people helping us. I was very involved with Children’s Miracle Network through my previous job and we would do big campaigns for them for Lurie Children’s Hospital.”
Weisenberger said she and her husband saw so many families struggling in their everyday lives, and they wanted to find a way to give back.
Weisenberger started the The Fairy Godparent Project to have families within the area who have terminally ill children. Their mission is to help families struggling with the necessities of life while going through the biggest struggle they have faced.
Arienne Weisenberger’s husband, Jason Weisenberger, said she is the most giving person you will ever meet, and even with 10 kids of her own, she still makes time for everyone else.
In August, The Fairy God Parent Project put on an event for a 2-year-old Johnsburg resident Cade Winters. Funds from the event held at The Breakers restaurant helped to pay the family’s mortgage, meals, bills and lawn care while the family was in Madison for treatment in six-week stints.
Weisenberger’s friend, Lakewood resident Denise Hopman, attended the event.
“I always find it fascinating that with the number of children she has, and her career and everything she has going on, she always finds the time to do what others would love to be able to do, but can’t seem to find the time,” Hopman said. “She’s so passionate, and so giving, and so humble.”
Weisenberger said she hopes to expand The Fairy Godparent Project further to help more children and families outside of McHenry County.
“A hero can mean so many different things,” Weisenberger said. “My grandma was my hero. Not because she did one amazing thing, because she did 100 amazing things for me. She made me strong and gave me confidence. She gave me so many of those things that go unnoticed. It’s not the major things, it’s the little things.”